Justice Ministry and judiciary to discuss spending for court maintenance

   

Chief Justice Bryan Sykes and Justice Minister Delroy Chuck are to hold further dialogue on how funds allocated for the judiciary should be spent for maintenance of the courts.

 

Court infrastructure has been a burning issue especially over the last two months, with frequent complaints by stakeholders.

 

Currently, the ministry is responsible for special or major projects, while the maintenance of court infrastructure resides with the Court Administration Division.

 

Speaking Wednesday on TVJ's All Angles, Minister Chuck and Chief Justice Sykes expressed confidence that an agreement can be reached on how the issues should be addressed.

 

Justice Sykes had recently revealed that the CAD spends more than 90 per cent of its maintenance budget, and just does not have enough to carry out all the work needed. 

 

Mr. Chuck argues that the CAD has been taking on projects outside its remit of expenditure, which has led to the quick depletion of the maintenance budget. 

 

"To the best of my knowledge, over the last five years, we have been begging CAD, whatever you need....please put it in. And to the best of my knowledge, whatever they've asked for, they've got," he said, suggesting the division has not been asking for enough.  

 

Mr. Chuck acknowledged that there has been a breakdown in communication. 

 

"I think basically we need to just communicate more, have a protocol that we know what the Ministry of Justice should be responsible for," he conceded. 

 

In the meantime, the Chief Justice said the judiciary will be requesting a larger maintenance budget from the Ministry of Justice.

 

Justice Sykes added that there needs to be a clear line of demarcation on the responsibilities of the ministry and Court Administration Division. 

 

"To my way of thinking, that clear demarcation really means acquisition of land, building the courthouses and we get the money to maintain them. So you have a clearer understanding of the difference between maintenance and major capital work," he suggested.     

 

The Chief Justice also called for an electrical audit of all court buildings, most of which he says are in need of re-wiring.

 

"Particularly now, when we are moving into the digital age, we want to ensure that when you buy the expensive equipment, put it in to a digital system, you don't hear or experience short circuit, fire, whatever it is, and the equipment is destroyed. So that one of the things that has to be done is an electrical audit of all our courts, main courts, out stations. It has to be done," said Justice Sykes.